Bringggg

The grating sound of the bell echoed along the halls, lined with lockers and paved by off white tiles speckled unevenly with ones marking the team colors of the school: green and gold. Only the tiles were more moss and urine yellow. Looking more like vomit than anything. The doors of the main auditorium opened up, releasing the faculty from their first day of school meeting. The students gathered in the cafeteria, trading snacks and meals parents provided them. There were some, off to the sides, transfers who didn't share the bond of middle school the other students had with each other. There were the kids who tried too hard, the science enthusiasts, the sports fanatics, the drifters, the scholars, and the loners. Then there were the anarchists. Who wanted to do anything and everything they were told not to. The principal emerged last, and made his way to the cafeteria. He was a giant of a man with a scar over his eye, an intimidating sight for those who were new to the school. He climbed up onto one of the tables and slowly conversation halted as curious gazes followed the blue haired giant looming in their midst.

"Welcome back," his voice was deep, fitting his already extremely masculine aura. "Or welcome in general." His smile was bright, and though he was large and rather gruff looking, his smile exuded kindness, and gentleness despite his large stature. One could almost see tension fall off the shoulders of the young freshman. "Now, we are starting a new school year, and I want everyone to put their best foot forward. You older students, watch over your younger peers. You younger students, don't ever be afraid to seek help. And this semester, you aren't alone in being new here. I don't know what some of you may have heard, but I can assure you, your new teacher is very well qualified, and I believe he will fit in well with our standards here. We pride ourselves on not only for holding an exceptional learning environment, but for being a nurturing one too. This country is at war and many of you probably have family that you have lost to it. If you ever find yourself needing help, any of the faculty here, including myself, will do everything we can. I know this was a rather solemn welcome speech, but I like to make it a point to remind everyone that their teachers are resources, and that we can all work together to make this the best experience possible for each of you. Let's all do our best this year, new students and returning. If any of you should need me, I'm not too hard to find."

There was a small round of applause as the principle departed, and the volume slowly returned as individual chats spurred back to life.

"This war is terrible."

"You think the teacher will still have his rants about world peace?"

"Probably."

"Have you guys heard about the new teacher?"

"There's a new teacher?"

"Yunan left."

"What? Seriously?!"

"What did you expect?"

"I heard the guy they hired is super sketchy though, dad works with the ministry of defense and he was not happy about it. He wouldn't tell me why though."

"Are you going to try out for any sports?"

"Maybe, I heard Kou's football team is looking strong."

"Kouen is the principal over there. He's terrifying."

"His younger brother is going to be on the team."

"Kouha?!"

"That kid is a psycho."

"That whole family is off."

"Not that our school has a lot going in terms of normalcy."

"True."

Bits of conversations echoed around the room. A girl with red hair shrunk in on herself, feeling her pulse rise. She started counting in her head, 1, 2, 3. It's the first day. There are other people who feel the same way I do right now. I'm fine. I'm okay. Her anxiety was rising with the voices, their words turning into a roar crashing against her eardrums. I can do this. I can belong here. No one wants me to leave. Right? They don't right? What if they do?

"Are you alright miss?" Her pink eyes snapped up to meet the blue ones looking down at her with concern.

"I-Uh-" She faltered, noticing how tightly her grip on her arm was where she had curled in on herself in her bought of panic.

"Are you nervous?" She continued to take in the boy in front of her. Mussed blue hair and a long braid, and wide blue eyes. She released her grip, feeling her shoulders fall down to a normal level and some of the tension leave her neck as a small dusting of pink colored her pale cheeks.

"Yeah.."

"So am I. I just moved from really far away and this is all so new. Look how happy everyone seems here though." She looked around, lots of bright smiles and laughing faces. There were other timid outsiders like herself, and like the boy in front of her, but she felt relieved. Seeing none of the misery she had known prior to this. None of the isolation as he smiled at her. "My name is Aladdin. What's yours?"

"Morgianna," he outstretched his hand to her. She blinked at him, her long lashes contrasting against her pallor. Then she felt something she hadn't felt in some time, her lips pulled upwards, drawing a small smile on her young face.

"It's nice to meet you Morgianna. You're very beautiful when you smile you know."

Bringggg

"Where to first?"

"Um, looks like English for me."

"Oh me too! See, we even have our first class together. Things won't be so bad here."

"Thank you," she mumbled as she stood to leave.

"For what?" For the first time since approaching her, the toothy smile he held fell, shifting into a incremental frown, eyebrows pulling together.

"For…" What do I say? What do I say? "For talking to me." She braved herself as she looked at him, prepared for him to think she was weird, only to be met once again by his smile.

"I didn't have a lot of friends back home. It was kind of crazy there. And my uncle told me once I had the power to help people. I'm still not really sure what he meant by that but I can't help anyone if I don't talk to them first."

"Where are you from Aladdin?"

"Oh, I'm from another country. It's called Alma Torran. Mom and dad said it wasn't safe there, so they sent me and my uncle somewhere safer. This country was safe before the war, but my parents didn't know we were at war here. Still, it's probably safer anyway." His eyes were sad as he spoke of his distanced parents, and she froze in the middle of the hallway and dropped her head in a deep bow.

"I'm so sorry for asking!"

"It's okay. My mom and dad are fighting to help people. I'm sure they're still alright. Besides, we're friends now aren't we?" He smiled again, but she still saw, in his eyes, where the smile didn't quite reach anymore, the concern for his family back home. The friends he had there. The class was already somewhat full, apart from a few desks scattered about. Morgianna swallowed hard, looking at the room of unfamiliar faces conversing with one another. "Look, there are two seats together over there." Aladdin said, tugging her hand towards the right side of the classroom. A couple classmates looked up at them as they walked to their seats, but their gazes quickly wandered away, back to the friends they were talking to.

"Alright quiet down, please." The man who had spoken turned to close the door, and Aladdin pointed at him, and Morgianna quickly grasped his hand and pulled it down before their teacher noticed.

"Pointing at people is rude," she whispered harshly from beside him, releasing her grip on his hand. Aladdin rubbed absently where she had touched, feeling the workings of a bruise, and how his classmate seemed utterly oblivious to the strength her grip had held.

"Yeah but look how tall he is, he had to duck to get in the door!" Aladdin whispered back. Morgiana looked back to the man, noticing his head did indeed surpass the height of the doorframe. He wore black dress pants, and a golden shirt with a red tie. Moriganna looked at him, feeling almost as if the man in front of her were prepared to lead her into a battle for the country, rather than one of grammar. He had a single earring, and deep green hair, a color that reminded her of the deepest recesses of the sea, though why she couldn't be sure, she had never seen the sea.

"Hello class. I extend my thanks for arriving to class promptly. Now, my name is Dragul Nol Henrius-" No sooner than he had reached the center of the room, the door burst open.

"Drakon!" The man's professional aura diminished, his eyebrow twitching as his hands fell to his hips and looked to the intruder who looked like he was about to lose the offending hand that had opened the door to their teacher's, Drakon's?, stare.

"Your timing is as impeccable as ever. Can I help you, Sinbad?" Sinbad smiled, his free hand laying on the hip he cocked to the side, leaning on the hand still holding the doorknob.

"Well, mostly I just came to save these poor kids from having to hear that mouthful you call a name, but," he paused, smile going impossibly wider "do you have a stapler?"

"Why do you not have your own Sinbad?"

"Ah, you see I do, well I did, but it seems to have gone missing. I suspect.. a thief!"

"Top left drawer of the desk, return it before third period so I can do my own work. I suggest you check Sharkkan's office if you are truly missing your property. Now if you would, Sinbad, please return to your own class so I may proceed." Sinbad was already halfway across the room before Drakon had finished speaking, snagging the object and dashing out the door in a blur before popping his head back in, his long ponytail hanging in the doorway with his head.

"Thanks Drakon! See you all again soon," he said as he walked away, leaving the door open behind him. Before Drakon was even able to open his mouth yelling could be heard through the open door.

"Give me back my stapler Sharkkhan!"

"You don't need it Yamraiha, I need to put up these fliers!"

"You give it back now you muscle head or so help me-"

"What, you'll poison me?"

"I have told you over and over again that's not what science is about!" Two people ran past the class room, and Morgianna and Aladdin just gaped. What kind of school was this?

"How is anyone supposed to do any work around here," they head mumbled as another man walked calmly past. A couple of kids in the class craned their head for a look at the one who spoke, but Drakon had shut the door just in time for most of the male to have gone unseen.

"Did you see him?"

"No did you?"

"No. Dang. He was the only one who wasn't at orientation awhile back."

"Was Yunan there?"

"Ah I don't remember."

"I think the new guy getting hired was last minute."

"Maybe they'll replace him."

"I dunno, Mr. Hinahoho seemed pretty confident in him."

"Yeah but my dad said-"

"I do believe that has been enough interruptions," their teacher spoke up, effectively shushing the whispered conversations sparked by the recent events. "I swear. Those two… As my colleague mentioned, my name is Drakon. Rather, it is Dragul, but Drakon is the nickname Sinbad started, and it has caught on quite.. emphatically. You may feel free to address me as such. Now, onto the syllabus…"

"Can I see the rest of your schedule?" Aladdin asked her after awhile. She nodded, pulling the slip of paper from her jacket pocket.

English – Spartos

History – Dragul Nol Henrius Govius Menudias Partenuvonomias Dumid Os Kartanon

Art: Sinbad Badoru

Math –Ja'far

P.E. –Sharkkhan Amun-Ra

Science – Yamraiha Mogamett

Study Hall – Masrur Fanari

"We have a couple classes together, see. Art, math, history, and study hall."

Aladdin and Morgianna shared a smile. This may be a fun school after all, she thought.

Author note

So I saw a post on tumblr talking about teacher/teacher relationship, and immediately started thinking of Sinja. If you have nay suggestions or prompts you want to happen during their development, leave a comment and I'll try and incorporate it. Sinja is endgame here. Also, all characters are alive for the purposes of this story. Yay.